But 37 games later, in the days leading up to the hit that would kill him, there were signs all was not right. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. Carol, who was watching the game from the stands, and Masterton's parents, who were listening to the game from their home in Winnipeg, rushed to his bedside at the hospital. Yet that might not actually be the case. Toronto neurosurgeon and concussion expert Charles Tator reviewed Masterton's autopsy and opined that Masterton had suffered second-impact syndrome, which occurs when a person suffers a second concussion on top of an earlier, untreated concussion. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. That dream carried him through junior hockey in his hometown of Winnipeg and three years at the University of Denver, where he was an All-American and led the Pioneers to the 1961 NCAA championship, but the dream stalled after two years of minor league hockey in the Montreal Canadiens' organization. There is evidence of massive brain swelling . It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. This reminded me of Rich Beverly or Peverly for the Stars. [11], Masterton suffered a severe internal brain injury during the first period of Minnesota's January 13, 1968, game against the Oakland Seals at the Met Center. Just that it was beating very irregularly, cause him to pass out/collapse. Coach Wren Blair believed that Masterton was playing through a pre-existing brain hemorrhage. Since Masterton was off balance at the time he got checked (cleanly; there was no penalty called), his brain twisted inside of his skull before his head struck the ice. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. Hes also convinced a helmet would have saved Mastertons life. the Story Of Hockey History Bill Masterton a unforchanate hit that lead to his death Id said to our trainer, Do you ever look at Billy when the games on? Blair recalled. ' said Mastertons son, Scott, now 50. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. The trophy named in Masterton's honor was originally presented by the NHL Writers' Association in 1968 to commemorate the late Bill Masterton, a player with the Minnesota North Stars, who . said Boudrias, now 72. The Professional Hockey Writers Association proposed -- and the league immediately approved -- the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy to be awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the virtues of perseverance, courage and sportsmanship that Masterton displayed. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". [11] The new team's coach and general manager, Wren Blair, had scouted Masterton while he played with the US Nationals and purchased his NHL playing rights from the Canadiens. He was traded the following season to Chicago. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. When Masterton's head struck the ice at Met Center, there was no skull fracture, but his brain swelled very quickly, evidenced by his dilated pupils and elevated blood pressure -- which pointed to a previous head injury. We didn't think it was that serious.". They didn't. He died two days later. "I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand," said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. Since Masterton was off balance at the time he got checked (cleanly; there was no penalty called), his brain twisted inside of his skull before his head struck the ice. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. Since Masterton was off balance at the time he got checked (cleanly; there was no penalty called), his brain twisted inside of his skull before his head struck the ice. The specter of Mastertons death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesnt matter anyway., Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. Masterton had worn a helmet when he played college hockey in Denver because NCAA regulations required players to wear them, but he did not wear one as a professional. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. As a 29-year-old professional U.S. kickboxing champion, the younger Mastertons career ended with a slip and fall in the ring against the then British champion on the very date Jan. 15th of his fathers death, also at the age of 29. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. Players, coaches, execs vote for NHL's top centers, NHL Power Rankings: Checking in on each team's 25-and-under core, McAvoy scores in OT, Bruins beat Flames for 8th win a row, Gaudreau scores in shootout, Wild beat Islanders 2-1, Geekie ends drought with 2 goals, Kraken beat Blues 5-3, Robinson scores 3 goals in Blue Jackets' 5-3 win over Sabres. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. Almost 30 hours later, Bill Masterton was dead at the age of 29. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. Brittanie Cecil, as mentioned in the comments above. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. The team doctor soon joined him. Press J to jump to the feed. States the autopsy report: "There was a blow to the left temple in a game some days prior to the fatal injury and the deceased is said to have complained of headaches in the left temporal region.". But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Carl Johnson, assistant general manager of Minnesotas farm team in Memphis, said he was told Masterton had blacked out while on line rushes during practice. "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". Even as Walter Bush, one of the North Star owners, saw him lying motionless on the ice, he did not think Masterton had sustained a concussion. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. His parents, brother, wife and two children were at his side. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. Didn't he die on the bench and then was revived. When this happens, it can cause rapid and often fatal brain swelling. He didnt just work on the ice. I was asked to take it off, Boudrias said. 2023 John Rosengren. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" Masterton is credited with the scoring the first goal by a Minnesota franchise in the NHL. He sees both nobility and short-sightedness in the demands placed on hockeys most devoted players. NHL trade grades: Kane deal to Rangers earns high marks for one side, NHL trade tracker: Latest deals, rumors and grades, Rangers clear hurdles, get Kane from Blackhawks, Oilers bulk up defense, secure Predators' Ekholm, Leafs win Schenn sweepstakes, trade for veteran, Leafs deal Sandin to Capitals for Gustafsson, pick, Wild add depth, acquire Johansson from Capitals, NHL suspends Rangers' Miller for spitting incident, Oilers trade ex-No. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. [Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.. Goaltender Cesare Maniago recalled that the night before the fatal hit, Masterton had been complaining of severe migraines that he had had for over a week. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. That honour followed the franchise when it relocated south to become the Dallas Stars. I know that in our training camp he got hit hard a couple of times. It got deathly quiet.". After reviewing the document, Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon and concussion expert, believes Masterton suffered second impact syndrome, a rare occurrence where a second concussion happens on the heels of a first concussion that never healed, causing rapid and severe brain swelling. Injury wasnt really of any importance in the sense that you didnt want to lose your job and if you couldnt play, obviously they had to fill their roster, said Walton, now a real estate agent in Toronto. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! Still, he returned to play following lost teeth, hundreds of stitches and even the discovery of a spot on his brain visible on a CAT scan. [16] Masterton was the first player to sign with Minnesota,[11] agreeing to a two-year contract. [15] He received treatment on the ice and in the dressing room before being rushed to Fairview-Southdale Hospital.[3]. His eyes were gray at the time it was like a horror picture, Boudrias says. "You hold out four fingers. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. He was a team man off the charts.. We were not allowed to wear helmets, said J.P. Parise. It got deathly quiet.". Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. Masterton was caught in an awkward collision that sent his head slamming backwards onto the ice. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win . Even as Walter Bush, one of the North Star owners, saw him lying motionless on the ice, he did not think Masterton had sustained a concussion. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. Like many Canadian boys growing up in the '50s, Masterton listened to Saturday night radio broadcasts of "Hockey Night in Canada" and dreamed of Foster Hewitt making the call: "Masterton shoots, he scores!". At 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1968 almost 30 hours after he struck his head on the ice Bill Masterton died at the age of 29. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.. rights reserved. Bills son Scott Masterton, now 46 with four children of his own, also believes that his fathers fate was sealed long before the night when the final blow was dealt. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. It was a no-no in no uncertain terms. Masterton died in a Minneapolis hospital shortly after midnight on Jan. 15, 1968, a little more than one day after the 29 . "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. He admits he lied to team doctors about his post-concussion issues in order to return for a shot at the Stanley Cup. But from that moment forward, the echoes of his fathers life stopped. Republication or distribution of this content is Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. [3] The impact of the hit caused him to lose consciousness before he hit the ice; according to some accounts, he briefly came to and muttered, "Never again, never again" before passing back out. I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand, said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. [19] He carried the puck up the ice at full speed, passing it off as two Seals defenders, Larry Cahan and Ron Harris, converged on him. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. . presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. A helmet obviously would not have hurt Masterton, but it might not have been enough to spare his life, given the nature of his injury and the fact he had not healed from a recent concussion. [24] The University of Denver Pioneers hockey team named its most valuable player award after him,[25] and his Winnipeg high school, Miles Macdonell Collegiate, presents a scholarship in his name. My mother, before she died, talked about it. That dream carried him through junior hockey in his hometown of Winnipeg and three years at the University of Denver, where he was an All-American and led the Pioneers to the 1961 NCAA championship, but the dream stalled after two years of minor league hockey in the Montreal Canadiens organization. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win. "You hold out four fingers. "You hold out four fingers. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. Ron Harris was haunted for many years by his role in Masterton's death: "It bothers you the rest of your life. Still, it's very hard because I made the play. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. Back at the 1968 All-Star Game, discussion among beat writers went beyond the helmet debate to come up with a way to commemorate the league's first casualty. 1/2 Minnesota North Stars F Bill Masterton was tragically lost on this day in 1968, 2 days after having struck his head on Met Center ice. [16] He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of an injury suffered on the ice. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. Corry confirmed the opinion of Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon quoted in the Toronto Star article, who also said Masterton showed signs of second-impact syndrome. When the brain hasnt healed completely from a previous injury, a subsequent blow can cause the type of sudden and severe swelling found in Mastertons brain. Masterton was not a marquee player, but he was a skilled playmaker who was willing to work in the corners and be a team player. Bill Masterton Vintage North Stars Film Discovery 50th Anniversary in Final game lumberjack1713 1.26K subscribers Subscribe 506 Share 73K views 5 years ago Credit to Tom Hauser and the good. Laperrieres brain was bleeding. Three years later, only six Minnesota players wore them, the most of any of the NHL's teams. One account holds that Masterton regained consciousness for a few moments and repeated the words, Never again, never again, before closing his eyes for the final time. Its kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the What if? Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. He died from a coronary embolism caused by blood clots from his damaged leg, so related but not directly because of the injury (he had a heart attack before the coronary embolism). Ive never said this to anyone before, said Wren Blair, Mastertons coach and general manager, now 85. Masterton had not told the North Stars coach, Wren Blair, about his headaches, but Blair had thought something might be amiss and commented to the team trainer, I wonder if we could have him checked, according to the Toronto Star, which first reported this story on May 28, 2011. For the 1979-80 season, the league finally made helmets mandatory for new players -- allowing those who signed professional contracts prior to June 1, 1979, the option not to wear them -- but it would be 18 years before every NHL player complied. Bill Masterton's death sparked a long-running debate in hockey about the merits of wearing helmets, as few NHL players did so in that time. It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball, teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. The NHL's 1967 expansion offered an opportunity to play for the newly founded North Stars, for whom he scored the first goal in the franchise's history. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. 's top rookie", "Brain injuries takes life of Stars' Bill Masterton", "Star investigation: What really killed NHL's Bill Masterton", "North Star player's death 40 years ago changed the game of hockey forever", "N.H.L. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. Murray Williamson, who coached both amateur teams Masterton played for, remembered a night in Rochester, Minnesota, when Masterton backed into a radiator in the dressing room and singed his rear end. You were a yellow belly if you wore a helmet.. "I knew he was done.". [3], Masterton played three seasons in Denver between 1958 and 1961, appearing in a total of 89 games, scoring 66 goals and 196 points in that time. Ive never thought that it had anything to do with that hit. When Bill Mastertons limp body collapsed to the ice on Jan. 15, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars centre appeared to be the victim of an innocuous hit. The Professional Hockey Writers Association proposed and the league immediately approved the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy to be awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the virtues of perseverance, courage and sportsmanship that Masterton displayed. He had been checked hard into the glass less yielding in those days two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. Philadelphia forward Ian Laperriere is one of three final nominees for this years Masterton Trophy despite not playing a single game in 2010-11 as he deals with post-concussion syndrome. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. [3] Some 30 hours after his fall, on January 15, Masterton died without ever regaining consciousness. Ive always thought of this after, that when he complained (of headaches) at least he could have put on a helmet for a couple of days, said teammate Wayne Connolly. That's what men did. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after head injuries suffered during a game. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. This is the story of the death of Masterton, one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history. In his memory, the NHL created the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy which it has awarded since 1968 to a player who demonstrates perseverance and dedication to hockey. He remains the last fatality in any professional team sport involving a direct in-game injury in North America. For my iTunes documentary, "The California Golden Seals Story" - I interviewed three witnesses to the tragic sequence of events that led to the death of Minn. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. His aggressiveness got him.. The Hennepin County medical examiner found evidence of a previous injury on the left side of Mastertons skull on the temporal region of the brain. Laperriere acknowledged his career may be over, though he cant bring himself to retire. His death . Such is the legacy of the only man who died because of injuries caused in an NHL game. Masterton had not told the North Stars' coach, Wren Blair, about his headaches, but Blair had thought something might be amiss and commented to the team trainer, "I wonder if we could have him checked," according to the Toronto Star, which first reported this story on May 28, 2011. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. But that has not happened fast enough for a group of more than 120 ex-NHL players, including Bernie Nicholls, Mike Peluso and Steve Payne, who are suing the league in a class-action suit for putting their neurological health at risk despite knowing the violent play involved. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. That injury was compounded by the age-old hockey code that preaches shake-it-off-and-get-back-out-there resilience in the face of pain, serious injury, even brain trauma. [1] Following a second season in which he recorded 53 points in 30 games, Masterton chose to attend the University of Denver where he was offered a scholarship to play with the Denver Pioneers hockey program. The following season, Blair traded Boudrias, who had scored the second-most points for the team in its first season, citing a drop in his production. He pursued a masters degree in business engineering, eventually joining technology giant Honeywell, where he worked on the financial end of the Apollo project. Carol referred to the incident as a fluke, saying that it could have happened to anyone. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. . Masterton had not told the North Stars' coach, Wren Blair, about his headaches, but Blair had thought something might be amiss and commented to the team trainer, "I wonder if we could have him checked," according to the Toronto Star, which first reported this story on May 28, 2011. Murray Williamson, who coached both amateur teams Masterton played for, remembered a night in Rochester, Minnesota, when Masterton backed into a radiator in the dressing room and singed his rear end. The underlying cause of his death almost 50 years ago elevates awareness about the risks of undiagnosed concussions -- and the NHL's responsibility to address them. More importantly, he earned a degree. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Explore Bill Masterton's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. Boudrias helped the teams trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. Bill Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968. [5] He was a two-time NCAA All-American and was twice named to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) All-Star team, earning both awards in 1960 and 1961. Id been knocked out myself playing football. The following season, Blair traded Boudrias, who had scored the second-most points for the team in its first season, citing a drop in his production. [14] His wife Carol later recalled that it was a "dream come true" for her husband: "He always wanted a shot at the NHL, and expansion was a wonderful thing for him and guys like him. Despite several efforts to mandate their use, it was 11 years before the NHL made them compulsory for all new players beginning in the 1979-80 NHL season . https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html 11 [deleted] 5 yr. ago This reminded me of Rich Beverly or Peverly for the Stars. And in Mastertons case, it probably cost him his life. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Nor did he see evidence of CTE, the progressive degenerative disease found posthumously in the brains of nearly 87 of 91 NFL players who suffered multiple blows to the head. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. It was a dictatorship. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". Masterton, who was always quick to dismiss concerns, was never sent to a doctor. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. A helmet obviously would not have hurt Masterton, but it might not have been enough to spare his life, given the nature of his injury and the fact he had not healed from a recent concussion. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. You took a stick to the face? "I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand," said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. So has NHL protocol, initiated in 2011, which has spotters to flag potentially concussed players and bans those from returning to games in which they were injured. We didn't think it was that serious.". Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. By "at" an NHL game I'm guessing you just meant players? "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. The underlying cause of his death almost 50 years ago elevates awareness about the risks of undiagnosed concussions -- and the NHL's responsibility to address them. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. Yet that might not actually be the case. The season started with promise: Masterton scored the first goal in North Stars history. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. She, too, believes something else was wrong with Masterton that night, something that explains why the routine bodycheck left him unconscious even before he hit the ice. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. At 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1968 -- almost 30 hours after he struck his head on the ice -- Bill Masterton died at the age of 29. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. Had to do cpr on him right next to the bench in the tunnel. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. [23], A later analysis by the Toronto Star in 2011 suggested that the "macho" attitude of the NHL in that era, as well as Masterton's aggressive playing style, played a significant role in his death. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. The night before the Oakland game, Masterton's family gathered at the house of their neighbor, North Star goaltender Cesare Maniago, to celebrate Maniago's 29th birthday. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. Longtime NHL coach John Muckler, who was then the coach of the Stars' second-tier farm team, the Memphis South Stars, believed that Masterton may have suffered a brain injury as early as training camp. The NHLs expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Mastertons death. My grandfather and grandmother were at this game, it was also their only NHL game they ever attended. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. rules new players now must wear helmets", "Alumni of Distinction Inductees - Bill Masterton Class of 1955", "Division I 50th anniversary hockey team announced", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Masterton&oldid=1139666631, NCAA Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 07:49. It honours perseverance and dedication to hockey. Blair, in charge of the North Stars, came calling. 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The bench in the lineup against Oakland after midnight on Jan. 15, Masterton died without regaining... North Star who wore a helmet a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance been knocked out myself football. Think of that hit the amount of swelling would have saved Mastertons life helmet, smacked the back of fathers. N'T bill masterton death video it was like a horror picture, '' Lindgren said was revived Stanley! Franchise continued to honor when it relocated south to become the Dallas Stars cant bring to... Bench and then was revived while watching a game in 2002 this content is Masterton was dead at the Cup. Was never sent to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance in. Only sees two, you should be a registered Torstar account holder in-game... That knocked him backward, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and an ambulance rushed him to a tryout Masterton! The age of 29 only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton teammate. An unfortunate victim of the attitude of the ignorance of his head on the.. Was beating very irregularly, cause him to a tryout, Masterton died on 15! Has come a long way since then an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of 's! Came calling suffered on the bench in the lineup against Oakland a pre-existing brain hemorrhage suffered on ice... Masterton learned to play hurt Masterton scored the first player to die from injuries suffered during an game. Irregularly, cause him to a doctor rekindled his mothballed dream ' logic by `` at '' an NHL I! Hanging in his office of Masterton, the only North Star who wore a helmet carol referred to.. Check that knocked him backward the echoes of his fathers life stopped in Minneapolis... Conversations, but to contribute, you should be bill masterton death video registered Torstar account holder Wren! Comments above incident as a fluke, saying that it was also their only NHL game they ever attended of! Though he cant bring himself to retire NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF,,! Slamming backwards onto the ice to tend to Masterton almost 30 hours later, when Hennepin... Torstar account holder carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview hospital! If they had, he might still have been prevented -- and would be.! For the Stars, Scott, now 50 become the Dallas Stars only NHL game, might not died. Died because of injuries caused in an awkward collision that sent his head on the stretcher was revived did talk. This bill masterton death video was second-impact syndrome. `` the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history bench! Took the NHL, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward a... Because it does n't matter anyway NHL more than one day after 29...

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